Apparatus for drying fabrics or the like



Feb. 2 1926.

P. LECULIER APPARATUS Foa DRYING Famcs on Taz Lum Filed Feb. 5, 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 be 21M/z' 1,571,282 P. LECULIER APPARATUS FOR DRYING FABRICS 0R THE LIKE Feb. 2 1926.

Filed Feb. 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y? mu Feb. 2 1926.

P. LECULIER l APPARATUS RoR DRYING FABRICS oR THE LIKE 5, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed Feb.

11M/mf@ Iraten-tai:Fel. 2, 1926.

. i AUNITED STATES y 1,511,232 'PaTaNr OFFICE.

PAUL LCULIER, 0F LYONS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS ron DRYING FABRICS on THE LIKE.

Application filed February 5, Y1924. Serial No. 690,857.

specification.

- Drying of dressed or other fabrics is ordinarily effected by means of a movable framework carrying a fire of wood charcoal gas or the like or the lire is lixed andthe fabric is movable.

Y In both cases the fire is arranged below the fabric to be dried.

TheA 'residues of combustion arising `from these different methods' of heating are all more or less harmful to the workers.

Further the soot and the dust produced by these fires rapidly soil the workrooms and the material and are the cause of numerous stains on the fabrics manipulated and possibly alsosparks maybe projected on to the fabric and burn it.

The present invention has for its object a method and an apparatus for electrically drying fabrics.

This method consists in placing the source of heat either above or below the fabric and bringing it as close as possible thereto to lessen the loss of heat by radiation and to prevent an exaggerated use of current.

The apparatus comprises a frame carrying a number of parabolic reflectors in the focus of each of which is placed a heating element.

These reectors are juxtaposed and fixed to rods, chains or to any other device allowing them to play so they do not become deformed under the action of expansion caused by the heat.

The best division of the 'calorific density is obtained by arranging the reiectors staggered parallel to themselves and slightly inclined in the direction of displacement of the apparatus or of the fabric. The tem peraturel of a heating body is not in effect uniform over all its length but decreases from its centre to its points of support. Further it is preferable to adopt this arrangement which allows of submitting any part of the fabric successively tothe entire range of temperature of the heating body.

The ap aratus provides for absolute cleanliness an doesvnot give olf smell or harmful gas, soot or the like. Its stopping and its starting only necessitates the simple operation of a swltch or a combiner when it is desired to regulate the temperature by the suppression or the addition of one or several elements or by variation of the pressure.

` It can equally be utilized for drying dressed or other fabrics4 arranged or not on -tenters which may be fixed or actuated mechanically by endless chain gear.

Finally among other advantages it can be placed above exi-sting tenters without incorporating any other modifications than the addition of a trackway and it can be placed at a distance fromthe fabric, much less than a coke or charcoal heater.

When the apparatus is placed below a movable endless carrier or below the moving material it is mounted on a mechanically operated device which displaces it vertically tol move it .further from or nearer to the fabric` The same device can also be employed when the apparatus is above the fabricby simply modifying the arrangement and the length of the articulations and of the guides. i

When the apparatus is placed above the fixed or movable fabric its vertical support can be made in two parts adapted to slide on one another so as to allow of regulating the distance of the heat reflectors therefrom also the height of the individual reflectors can be regulated by means of their suspension chains.

The heating elements can be. easily replaced by others and the reflectors are 1 nterchangeable. The reiectors are of denlte shape; they are closed at each end by a cheek, provided with a support for the heating body mounted in a refractory and lnsulatl ing tube.

The annexed drawings illustrate the 1nvention.l

Fig. 1 is a side view in elevatlon of a simple form of mnvable drying apparatus or heater.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation thereof with partial section on line 2--2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2 with partial removal of the upper p te and of a` reflector.

Figs. 4 and show respectively in elevation and in plan a fixed heater in which the heating elements are staggered the fabric Ybeing carried on an endless chain conveyor.

Fig. 8 is a cross section thereof on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is an end view.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an automatic heater adapted to travel on a printing table.

Referring to Figs. l to 3 a indicates the frame support.

shows parabolic reflectors of polished metal or refractory material of any kind.

suspended from the frame a by bars c.

(l indicates the heating elements. e grooves in which pivots of the vsuspension rods of the end reflectors can slide so that they can be given a tilted position. f are rails on which the rollers g, fixed by brackets L to the frame a can roll. This track-Way comprising two rails could be replaced by a suitable mono-rail device.

/c indicates slots in the walls of the reflectors to allow the free passage of the fixing devices for the heating elements.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 in which the 'reiectors and heating elements are staggered.

The reflectors b rest on the frame a by means of small supports Z fixed to the piece m which connects two consecutive reflectors.

The inclination of the heating bodies d in the axis of displacement of the fabric n can vary, but an inclination of from 22, 301 gives excellent results with laments of 36 c. length. As shown in Fig. 5 the head of the filament d is in the direction of travel of the filament on the same line as the middle 0f the filament d1.

The heater can be vertically displaced by the following means Under the frame a two grooved rollers o are mounted which roll on guides p placed on each side of the heater and of variable number according to its importance. There are also provided articulated means comprising in particular crank arms g and ,r connected respectively to shafts s and t. On these shafts toothed wheels u and /v connected by a chain w are fixed. The movement is governed by means of the actuating lever .r keyed on the shaft t. A rack device y or similar device allows of arresting the heater at any position, the movable means for which is ba anced by a weight .a fixed to the shaft s. Pins arranged in the rack y allow of limitmg the displacements particularly in height of the heater the extreme positions of whlch are shown in Fig. 4.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the reflectors are also staggered and in this construction the reflectors are connected together by small ieces m similarly'to the :fixed heater but 1n this case they are suspended from the frame a by means of small4 chains 3, the links of whichl` allow their length to be regulated. The height of the su P conveying rails or the 1&0

heater above the fixed fabric carrier 4 can be further regulated by sliding the suspension bars 5 in the V irons 6 after havmg withdrawn the bolts 7.

This construction lis also provided wlth means for moving the heater a, said means comprising a bar 8 articulated at 9, an 'emplacement for housing the current swltch 10, a trolley 11 for taking the current and further the rollers (7 are mounted on a support with a vertical shaft 12 in order to allow the heater to travel without difficulty over small radius curves of the rails f serving to pass from one track to another.

A reflector is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 the parabolic curve of which is such as to produce uniform radiation of the heat rays from the heating body al. The contact members which support the latter' transverse the ends 13 of the reflector Z) through a porcelain or otherl refractory and insulatory sleeve 14 which restsin a reversible support 15 lhooking on the rods of its fixing bolts 16.

The displacement of a movable heater either above or below the fabric to be dried can be effected in various ways. f

The heater can be connected to a cable tractor operated by a motor or by hand.

It could also be put in movement by a small electric motor carried by the carriage, the said motor actuating one or more driving wheels rolling on rails or gearing with a rack.

This form of construction is shown in Fig. 10. The reiectors b, arranged sta gered, are suspended to the frame a of t e heater which rests on the frame 17 of the carriage which runs on rails 19 provided I with a rack 20- on each side of the table 18 and in engagement with toothed pinions driven by a motor 21 either directly or by means of reducing gear enclosed in a casing 22.

23 is a button for unclutching the motor and 24 a -crank operated by hand.

The switches '25 on the up r part of the heater are for switching o the elements not required when the fabric is narrower than the width of the table or when by reason of its lightness the pattern is obtained by depositing very little colour on the fabric which drys quickly without the necessity of using all the heating elements.

The current is conve ed b two contact rails arranged on the side o the' table 18. The heater may be drawn along by any suitable means and in articular by any printing apparatus mova le over a table as used in printing on fabrics and the like, it could also be moved by hand.

los

lThe Vmethod of introducing the current for a. movable radiator is not shown on the drawing but any of the known devices such ass-friction contacts, e cables, current may be adopted.

The device could equally be utilized for drying printed papers and fabrics of all kinds. l

What I claim as my inventionA and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. Apparatus for drying fabrics comprising a frame, means for supportin said frame, a series of oblong parabolic re ectors within said frame means for suspending said reflectors from said frame, electrically heated elements in said reflectors and means for conveying electric Acurrent to said heating elements.

2. Apparatus for drying fabrics comprising a frame, means for supporting said frame means for vertically adjusting said frame, means for securing said frame in the vertically adjusted position, a series of oblong parabohc reflectors within said frame means for suspending said reflectors from said frame, electrically heated elements in said reflectors and means for conveying electric current to said heating elements.

3. Apparatus for drying fabrics comprising a rectangular frame means for supporting said frame a series of parabolic reflectors of rectangular shape arranged in staggered formation within said frame and having their edges parallel toone another but diagonally to said frame, means for suspending said reflectors in said frame, means for adjusting the depth of dependence of individual reflectors from said frame electrically heated elements in said reflectors and means for conveying electric current to said heating elements.

4. Apparatus for drying fabrics comprising a frame, a carriage means on which the wheels of said carriage roll, framing connecting saidframe to said carriage, a series of juxtaposed oblong reflectors su ported by said frame means for adjusting t e position of said reflectors in said frame interchangeable electrically heated elements in said reflectors, means for conveying electric current to said heating elements and means for imparting horizontal movement to said carriage and thereby said frame.

In -witness whereof I have signed this specification.

PAUL LCULIER. 

